The Loveliest of Lies (Oumota)

See you in court

Kaito collapsed to his knees next to the net. He was surrounded by tennis balls.

"Heh. You're on fire Hoshi." He joked weakly.

Ryoma smirked and sauntered towards him.

"Best three out of five Momota?"

Kaito glared at him.

"Hey. You were the one who wanted to play tennis with me." Ryoma twirled his racket.

"I didn't know...that it would be this bad." Kaito muttered.

"Need a hand?" Ryoma offered.

"No." Kaito shook his head and stumbled to his feet.

Everything swayed and he collapsed again, devolving into a coughing fit.

"Jeez Momota. If I'd known you were this out of shape., I wouldn't have accepted your challenge." Ryoma taunted him.

Kaito tried to say something, but just continued coughing.

Ryoma frowned and hurried over, thumping him on the back.

Spluttering, Kaito managed to clear his throat.

"C'mon. Let's have a rest." Ryoma helped him stagger to the nearest wall.

Kaito leaned against it, breathing deeply.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong Momota?" Ryoma asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." Kaito lied.

"Bullshit. Momota, no one just collapses like that."

"I-I just haven't done anything so physically demanding in such a long time."

"Do you have some sort of condition?" Ryoma said.

Kaito stayed silent.

"Momota?"

"Yeah. I have a condition." He admitted.

Ryoma sat down next to him.

"Is it serious?"

Kaito swallowed.

"I'll take your silence as a sign that it is."

Kaito slumped, putting his head in his hands.

I don't even know what my condition is. I just know that it's fatal. And that I don't have much time left.

Ryoma got out a candy cigarette and popped it into his mouth.

"Want one?"

Kaito shook his head. He hated liquorice.

"Your loss." Ryoma shrugged.

Minutes passed. They sat together in silence.

"Y'know Momota...I have to thank you." Ryoma said.

"For what?"

"For playing tennis with me. It made me realise just how much I've missed it." Ryoma laughed. "Oh, and that despite being horribly out of practice, I've still got it."

"You don't need to thank me for that." Kaito smiled at him.

"I do. It made me feel alive. At least for a few minutes." Ryoma sighed. "And everyone- well mostly everyone, has been so kind to me. Treated me well despite the fact that I'm a criminal, a murdering scumbag."

"Hoshi, you're not a bad person."

"Heh. That's debateable."

Kaito chuckled hoarsely.